


“It’s raining.”

by AnotherSideAnotherStory



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Cloud and Leon are great dads, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hayner and Olette are mentioned, hot chocolate fixes everything, liverpepper au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-28
Updated: 2019-08-28
Packaged: 2020-09-28 07:30:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20422241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnotherSideAnotherStory/pseuds/AnotherSideAnotherStory
Summary: Just because you know a dream isn’t real doesn’t mean it doesn’t effect you.





	“It’s raining.”

**Author's Note:**

  * For [yourhandiheld](https://archiveofourown.org/users/yourhandiheld/gifts).

There’s a ringing somewhere near his head, and he fumbles for a moment to find the source of the noise on the bedside table. Leon stirs next to him, roused slightly by the noise, but he soon settles again, his breathing even and slow once more. The light from the screen is blinding in the pitch black of their bedroom, making it nearly impossible to read the name on the caller ID. His throat is a little dry from non-use, and his voice is thick with sleep when he manages a “‘lo?”

There’s a pause from the other end, though he can still hear a slightly shaky breath. “Pa?” says the voice, and Cloud is instantly alert. Roxas never calls in the middle of the night. Cloud’s feet are already on the floor, free hand searching for a shirt and shoes, because if his boy is calling him this late, it’s important and he needs to be ready. 

“Roxas. You okay?” Because he doesn’t care what time it is. If either of his kids call him, he’ll drop everything and move mountains to get to them. Roxas is slow to reply, and his voice cracks. “It’s raining.”

His response is instant. “I’ve got an umbrella.” He’s rushing now, shifting things around to find the car keys. Leon stirs again, waking up this time to watch his husband search. 

“Everything okay?” Cloud gives him a reassuring look. He can handle this. He will handle this. And he’ll explain everything to Leon later. He tells Roxas to stay on the phone, that he’ll be there to pick him up in about 5 minutes, silently thanking the universe that Hayner’s house is close. 

Roxas doesn’t hang up, but he doesn’t say much either. He sniffles once, twice, and then Cloud can hear him speaking in a low voice to someone in the background. “Olette’s sitting up with me.” Cloud thanks the universe again for the girl, and he eases off the accelerator a little. As long as the boy isn’t alone, there’s no need for him to break the speed limit. At least not enough to get himself pulled over. 

“I’m pulling onto Hayner’s street. You got your stuff?” Roxas hums, and Cloud hears him move what he assumes is his backpack. “What’s the weather looking like?” 

“Power just went out.” 

Cloud curses under his breath. The car door is open before he even puts it in park, not bothering to switch it off. His phone is still in hand, the call still connected, but he pays no attention to it. The front door of the house creaks open, and Roxas knocks the breath out of him with the force of his embrace. Cloud can see Olette standing by the door, waving good night to him before she shuts it and slides the deadbolt home again. They don’t move from their spot in the driveway for a while, because Roxas’ shoulders are shaking and his bag hit the pavement a few yards away as he was running, and Cloud is not going to let the boy go until he’s sure he can keep his own emotions in check. 

He can feel the chill of the night air creeping along his skin, can see the goosebumps rising on Roxas’ arms, and he gently pushes the boy back enough to look at him. His face is blotchy and his nose is red and runny. “You getting cold? Let’s go sit in the car, okay?”

Roxas nods, wiping at his nose. Cloud picks up the backpack, putting it in the backseat when he reaches the car. He looks over at his son, taking in the crumpled state of his clothing and the way his hair droops. Roxas must have already adjusted the thermostat because Cloud can feel warm air filling the car. 

“How long has it been raining?”

Roxas doesn’t answer for a minute or two. Cloud isn’t counting, not really. The numbers on the radio have changed a few times before Roxas speaks. 

“A few weeks.”

Cloud’s heart breaks. His boy has been suffering for weeks, and he’d never noticed. He pulls the car back out onto the road, reaching over to hold the teen’s hand. He starts to ask what happened when Roxas speaks up again. 

“Do you...” He starts, his voice hesitant and small again. “You love me, right? You and Dad?”

It’s a miracle really that Cloud doesn’t slam the brakes. For the second time that night, he feels the wind knocked out of him. He wants to stop the car, pull Roxas into his lap, and never let go. The pain he feels at the question is nothing compared to what Roxas must be feeling, must have been feeling for a while now. 

He keeps his voice as even as possible. “I love you more than I could ever explain. Dad loves you more than he could ever explain. You and Sora are the reason we get up every morning. You guys are the reason we work as hard as we do. You guys add so much purpose to our lives.” He means it, every word, and he always would. “If I’ve done something, anything, to make you feel,” but he hasn’t even finished the thought before Roxas is shaking his head. 

“It was a dream. A stupid, _stupid_ dream. I know it’s not real, but my brain won’t shut up sometimes, and I kept thinking that maybe you and Dad just say you love me ‘cause you have to.” He’s crying again, out of frustration this time. “It just spiraled out of control, ya know? And I know that you and Dad would never do that to me, I know better. You’d never say you love me out of obligation. It’s just... stupid.” He trails off, sniffling again. 

Cloud parks the car, and is opening the passenger door before Roxas manages to take his seatbelt off. He pulls the kid into another hug, trying to focus all his love into it. The front door opens, revealing a barefoot Leon and a yawning Sora. The pair look relieved to see Cloud and Roxas back home again, safe and relatively sound. 

They make their way into the kitchen and mugs of hot chocolate are passed around. Sora sits beside his brother, wanting to help but unsure where to start, so he rest his head on the other’s shoulder. Cloud and Leon share a meaningful look, seem to agree on something, and Leon speaks up. 

“Finish your drinks. I’ll make up the bed.” With that, he leaves the room, pausing only to rest a comforting hand on his son’s head. 

“Pa, there isn’t enough room for all of us.” Sora is right, the bed in the master bedroom is nearly too small for Cloud and Leon. Adding two seventeen year olds would surely leave someone, probably Leon, uncomfortably hanging off. 

“We’ll make it work.” Because Cloud wants his sons close to him. He wants them both to know they mean the world to him. So he’ll deal with the stiff joints and bruises from Sora’s elbows, he won’t complain at all. 

Sora is snoring within minutes of laying down. Leon is watching Cloud who’s watching Roxas as he settles against his chest, just like he did when he was a baby. There isn’t enough room for any of them to move, to adjust into comfortable positions, but Cloud is content. His phone is plugged in again, resting on the nightstand, but it doesn’t ring again for the rest of the night.

**Author's Note:**

> This may be out of character, even for the liverpepper au. I aged the twins up a bit because I don’t think they’ll ever outgrow needing their dads. 
> 
> Also, Hayner’s parents let him have his friends over for an end-of-summer slumber party and the kids camped out in the living room because Hayner’s parents are responsible and still have rules about girls in the house. 
> 
> Basically this came about from my love of the Strifeharts and their weather system. It’s brilliant.


End file.
